Peak Luxury: Limited Edition Huntsman and Tengri Khangai Yak Cloth

Surrounded by rugged mountains,
wild meadows, valleys and alpine lakes, Khangai may sound more like
the home of a yoga retreat than a yak herd. However, the Mongolian
ecoregion is grazing ground to an indigenous species of yak, a
species producing some of the most luxurious fibres – and therefore
cloth – in tailoring today.

The fibres are combed from the
underbelly of the yak once a year, and one animal produces a mere
100g at a time. As soft as cashmere and warmer than merino wool,
the fibres’ performance is down to the ecosystem in which the yaks
exist; the fluctuating temperatures and mineral-rich grasslands of
the area are unique to the region, producing a super-soft, strong
and breathable fibre that you simply can’t find anywhere
else.

After becoming fascinated with
the ecosystem of the yaks, the herders and the landscape – and
their reliance one another to survive – social entrepreneur Nancy
Johnston founded Tengri, a London-based brand that champions
sustainability above all else. Tengri has become the first and only
technology specialist to refine Mongolian yarns in the UK, making a
name for themselves in the luxury world by offering a fibre that is
by nature limited edition and can, in turn, be woven into cloth of
exceptional quality. Savile Row stalwart Huntsman is no stranger to
sourcing rare fabrics to offer their customers exclusive
opportunities. In 2007, the house purchased the world’s only bale
of 11.9 micron 1PP wool, creating just 34 suit lengths with it, and
has worked with Dugdale Bros. to create a replica of the naval
cloth used by the crew of HMS Dreadnought in 1906. “We are
dedicated to sourcing limited-edition luxury cloths. To be working
with Tengri and to discover this unique fabric is very special,”
Pierre Lagrange, Owner of Huntsman, says. “It’s key for Huntsman to
find exquisite fabrics that stand up to the tests of time, and last
for generations.” In collaboration with Tengri, Huntsman has
acquired 60 metres of Khangai yak fibre cloth, a rare and exciting
acquisition for the London tailoring house. To put that into
perspective, it takes hand-combing approximately 1200 Khangai yaks
to secure that amount of fabric.

Campbell Carey, Creative
Director of Huntsman, explains toThe Rakethat “there’s always a level of reluctance to
let such a limited length go, but at the end of the day all we want
is for the customer to enjoy wearing the garment. We can’t be too
precious, and it’s always a thrill for the customer to know that
they’ll be only one of half a dozen people on the planet with the
same cloth.” The cloth itself is beautiful; Khangai yak hair has a
unique, distinctive texture and colour and is enhanced by the
environmentally friendly dyes used by Tengri, set to include a
natural tan, brightened navy blue and a rare ‘silver’. Once combed,
the fibres go through a refining stage (known as carding) that
separates out three grades: coarse, secondary and premium. Tengri
also operates a zero waste policy, and imports all waste fibres to
the UK. It’s also in the UK, in the heritage mills of Yorkshire,
that the fibres are spun and woven, before arriving at No. 11
Savile Row, where Huntsman’s cutters will be offering the cloth to
a few lucky and discerning customers.

“The exclusivity and
sustainability of the cloth go hand in hand towards creating a
fantastic product with a story behind it,” Carey explains. “We’re
seeing a lot more cloth being made up like Tengri’s ‘noble yarn’,
that is undyed and in its natural colour. The sparing simplicity of
design is what’s so attractive; it’s been through the minimal
amount of processing to maintain all its natural qualities,
resulting in a beautiful finish.”

Not only will customers be
guaranteed serious exclusivity, but they can sleep easy knowing
that their suit is the result of an environmentally
forward-thinking concept, and Tengri’s commitment to transparency
means that the efforts and work of the nomadic herders is
appreciated just as much as the skill and craft of the Huntsman
cutters. Knowing where one’s clothes come from has become more and
more a foreign concept in the world of disposable fashion and
trends that move on faster than consumers can keep up with, so it’s
a special collaboration indeed which shines a light on two brands
working together to educate and dress customers with a
conscience.